Breakdown | Mysite

Primary Software: Autodesk Maya.
Main Role: Rigging various assets, including characters, props, and environments.
Rigging Techniques:
- Skinning: For main and sub-controls.
- Constraints: For managing hierarchies.
- Blendshapes: For skin-weight fixes and layering deformers.
- Driven Keys: To control blendshape targets based on specific parameters.
Facial Rigging: Driven by blendshapes (except jaw and eyelashes, which use skinning).
- Ensure consistent topology for easy transfer between characters.

Python scripting to improve efficiency in the rigging workflow (e.g., automate repetitive tasks, and optimize asset handling).

Quality Control:
- Ensuring assets are production-ready for animation and lighting stages.
Tech Fixes:
- Solving issues that arise during production (e.g., automated wheel rig creating multiple undo queues per frame—fixed by modifying the expression to omit unnecessary undo calls).
Asset Preparation:
- Retopologizing models for better rigging compatibility.
- Creating stand-in assets/cache for foliage or large scenes to reduce graphical demand without impacting final render quality.
Cost-Effective Solutions:
- Prioritizing rigging solutions over FX to reduce production costs.
Collaboration:
- Working closely with animation and texturing teams to resolve issues in the later stages of production.

Blendshape-Driven Facial Rigging

Example: Top eyelid closing is driven by a single blendshape target.
Advantages:
- Simpler to edit and transfer to other characters compared to skinning-based methods.
- Easier to setup the rigging system
Limitations:
- Less flexibility and more rigid movement compared to skinning.
- More constrained in terms of the facial movements

A low-poly version of foliage is created and nested with a stand-in file (ASS).
The high-poly version is replaced with a stand-in file to optimize scene performance.

Designed for use in multiple scenes, requiring flexibility in deformations.
Focus on limbs: Ensuring proper deformation in extreme positions (e.g., bending more than 90 degrees).
Achieved through blendshape fixes and sub-controls (e.g., on sleeves) for added flexibility.

Characters with long or medium-length hair are rigged with dynamic simulations.
Hair movement is driven by the character’s motion, providing a more natural look.

Low-poly stand-ins used for stationary assets (e.g., background props, buildings).
Low-poly models can’t be animated unless baked.
For animated assets (e.g., opening a door), high-poly versions are swapped in only when needed, optimizing scene performance.

Most objects in the scene are rigged for flexibility
Constraints are preferred over skinning for simple objects, especially in large scenes to reduce scene complexity and improve performance.

Soft objects (e.g., clothing, fabric) use a combination of FK and IK to simulate realistic movement and deformation.

Rigging settings allow easy switching between day and night versions of assets.
Proper labelling is essential to avoid confusion when textures are not visible in the viewport.